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Wednesday, January 23, 2008

I get by

with a little help from my friends.
My new agenda I follow to ward off the long winter syndrome most days, after the usual duties, includes a couple more simple and very satisfying endeavors: a little baking, a little knitting and some movie watching.

First the baking: this is Inland Empire Girl's yummy recipe for spicey Pumpkin-Chip Bread. Hers includes chocolate chips and walnuts, is moist and keeps well. Seemed to make the holiday season stick around awhile longer. I loved grating the whole nutmeg for this too.


I'm embarrassed to admit how long it has taken me to finish this dear little 'Cupcake' hat I first heard about from my friend, the other Marianne, who's just Knotminding. She got it from her friend Norma at Now Norma Knits. Let's just say it has been a challenge that involved not reading the instructions carefully or completely. Does the word 'chopsticks' make you think of anything besides Chinese food? In the spirit of all things snowman I must say that the cupcake was delicious!
The indie film Once is one I can't quit recommending to everyone, even if they don't like movies involving music, because it is somehow unforgettable. A Sundance winner it has a simple plot about two musicians in Ireland--he plays on the street and works in his dad's vacuum cleaner repair shop. She is a Czech immigrant who drops a dime in his open guitar case on the ground while he plays one evening. The soundtrack is amazingly original and haunting. My advice: run out and rent it, stay with it until the end and remember the piano.

Here's what Steven Spielberg said about it:
'A little movie called Once gave me enough inspiration to last the rest of the year.'
I agree with Schpiel, as I like to call him, and I say, "Raise your hopeful voice."


6 comments:

Marianne said...

Mmmm, looks yummy and such a pretty little plate!
I still say, that is the.cutest.cupcake.hat.ever!

I enjoyed the little clip of the film... definitely going on the list!

Tom said...

As I bake and knit this was a perfect post to read... the film as well sounds nice to.

Hope your day goes well.

Julie Kwiatkowski Schuler said...

That sounds like a perfect day anytime of the year!

alphawoman said...

I loved this movie and cried at the end because it was so...perfect. One of my favorite scenes was when he asked something like, "How do you say "love" in Czech" and she tells him and he asks if she loves "him" (the ex-husband" in Czech and she says back in Czech, "I love you"...I have to imagine that is what she said, don't you? Beautiful movie and made more so because Joe and I said to each other, "thats St. Stephens Garden, that's that Mall we went to that place in, that's Temple Bar"...etc.etc.etc. I have my fingers crossed that the song wins the Oscar...I'm so glad you put the clip up for everyone to listen.

Yolanda said...

Thanks for sharing this I will check it out.

Christy Woolum said...

I recognize that recipe! Maybe I should make it today to chase the winter snow blues away. You are the third person that has recommended this film. I better watch it.